The Ripple Effect

Mehr zum Buch

As Alex Prud'homme and his great-aunt Julia Child collaborated on her memoir, they discussed the French fascination with bottled water, which had also gained traction in America. This conversation ignited Prud'homme's quest to explore the complex narrative of freshwater. He uncovered alarming truths: as climate change and population growth drive up water demand, freshwater supplies are either stagnant or declining, with new threats to water quality emerging constantly. His inquiry addresses pressing questions: Will there be enough water to meet demand? What risks does our water quality face? How robust is our water infrastructure, including the systems that deliver freshwater and the levees that protect us? Can we innovate to create new water sources? Is water a fundamental right or a commodity, and who controls access to it? Will conflicts in the twenty-first century center around water? Similar to Daniel Yergin's exploration of oil, Prud'homme's work is a compelling investigation filled with dramatic narratives. He introduces a cast of vivid characters that bring these critical issues to life, from a water scientist's suspicious death in New Jersey to the struggles between salmon fishermen and miners in Alaska, and the contamination of wells in Wisconsin. Informative and thought-provoking, this exploration promises to reshape our understanding of the water we consume.